Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 1:18

18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men , who hold the truth in unrighteousness .

He proceeds to prove the principal Proposition laid down in the foregoing verse. The Causal Particle [for] implyes as much. Men must be justified by the Righteousness of God, because they have no Righteousness of their own to justify them; they themselves are all unrighteous. This he proves both of the Gentiles and Iews. He begins with the Gentiles, and proves it upon them, from this verse, to the seventeenth verse of the second Chapter; and then he proves it upon the Iews also, from thence to the end of the third Chapter.

'Tis revealed in the Word of God, or rather by the Judgments which He inflicteth.

i. e. from God in Heaven. Plagues and Judgments spring not out of the Dust, proceed not originally from Second Causes, much less do they come by Chance.

The Abstract is put for the Concrete; he means unrighteous and ungodly Men; but he chuseth this way of speaking, because God, when He punisheth, aims a[illegible: 1 letter] the Sins of Men; and would not Punish their Persons, but for their Sins. By Ungodliness, understand Sins against the First Table, which are mentioned, ver. 21.23. By Unrighteousness, Sins against the Second, of which there is mention at large, from ver. 26. to the end of that Chapter.

By Truth, understand all that Light, which is left in Man since the Fall. There are in all Men some common Notions of God, his Nature and Will: Some common Principles also of [illegible: 1 letter]quity and Charity towards Men, which Nature it self teacheth; and upon which the Consciences of the Gentiles did▪ Accuse or Excuse them. These natural Notions concerning God and their Neighbour, they did not obey and follow, but wickedly supprest them. They imprisoned the Truth, which they acknowledged, that they might Sin the more securely. The Metaphor is taken from Tyrants, who oppress the Innocent, and Imprison them: So the Gentiles did by the Truth, which they had by their Nature; they kept it in and under.

Marginal references: Or, retain or hinder.